Carole
A female given name from French, variant of Carol
Every Carole since 1901 — 110,952 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carole
Carole is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #10,258 in 2025 with 9 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1901, 110,952 American babies have been named Carole. Its peak came in 1942, when 8,440 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carole stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carole year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #10,258 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 9 | #10,480 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,401 | — | — |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,243 | — | — |
| 2018 | 10 | #9,969 | — | — |
| 2017 | 8 | #11,866 | — | — |
| 2016 | 11 | #9,534 | — | — |
| 2015 | 10 | #10,287 | — | — |
| 2014 | 11 | #9,678 | — | — |
| 2013 | 13 | #8,689 | — | — |
| 2012 | 6 | #15,346 | — | — |
| 2011 | 5 | #17,287 | — | — |
| 2010 | 10 | #10,577 | — | — |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,510 | — | — |
| 2008 | 16 | #7,819 | — | — |
| 2007 | 8 | #12,905 | — | — |
| 2006 | 17 | #7,217 | — | — |
| 2005 | 21 | #5,848 | — | — |
| 2004 | 20 | #6,019 | — | — |
| 2003 | 36 | #3,814 | — | — |
| 2002 | 30 | #4,202 | — | — |
| 2001 | 26 | #4,587 | — | — |
| 2000 | 24 | #4,816 | — | — |
| 1995 | 43 | #2,795 | — | — |
| 1990 | 92 | #1,621 | — | — |
| 1985 | 94 | #1,374 | — | — |
| 1980 | 114 | #1,177 | — | — |
| 1975 | 189 | #754 | — | — |
| 1970 | 422 | #480 | — | — |
| 1965 | 897 | #299 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,689 | #203 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,426 | #213 | — | — |
| 1950 | 2,218 | #140 | — | — |
| 1945 | 4,842 | #51 | 11 | #2,149 |
| 1940 | 4,790 | #49 | 23 | #1,406 |
| 1935 | 2,680 | #93 | 14 | #1,944 |
| 1930 | 425 | #321 | — | — |
| 1925 | 218 | #466 | — | — |
| 1920 | 103 | #715 | — | — |
| 1915 | 50 | #935 | — | — |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,651 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Carole
- Carole Lombard Actor · 1908–1942
- Carole Bouquet Actor · b. 1957
- Carole King Singer · b. 1942
- Carole Pateman Philosopher · b. 1940
- Carole Landis Actor · 1919–1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carole mean?
A female given name from French, variant of Carol
How popular is the name Carole in 2025?
Carole ranked #10,258 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 9 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carole?
110,952 babies have been named Carole in the United States since 1901, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carole most popular?
Carole peaked in 1942, when 8,440 newborns received the name.
Is Carole a boy or girl name?
Carole is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Carole rising or falling?
Carole is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Carole?
Well-known people named Carole include Carole Lombard (actor), Carole Bouquet (actor), Carole King (singer).